Improvement in ditching-machines



JOHN VALENTINE.

Patented Dec.

NI'IEE STATES JOHN VALENTINE, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN DlTCHlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,737, dated December 12, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN VALENTINE, of the city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Ditching-Machines, of which the following is a speciiication:

These improvements relate to the machine known as Oarters ditching-machine, for which Letters Patent of the United States were granted to Henry Garter, November 23, 1869. The machine consists of a truck supporting a vertical frame, in which slides a gate or cross-head, which carries a plow for loosening the earth, and a wheel provided with buckets for elevating the same to the top of the machine, whence it is discharged through a spout to one side of the ditch. For a full description of the construction and operation of the machine, reference is here made to the schedule annexed to the said Letters Patent. This machine has been found defective in two particulars: First, as the ditch increases in depth, and the distance between the mouth of the discharge-spout and the ground becomes less, the excavated earth is discharged gradually nearer the ditch and against the side of the ridge which it forms, from whence a considerable portion thereof rolls into the ditch, partially filling up the same. To prevent this is the object of one part of my invention, which consists of an adjustable mouth-piece hinged or secured to the dischargespout, so as to permit the lower and outer end of the former to be gradually raised as the ditching mechanism descends for changing the inclination thereof, thereby causing the excavated earth to be discharged further from the ditch at each subsequent operation or passage of the machine. My invention further consists in the combination of the said mouth-piece with the Xed portion of the spout in such a manner as to permit the former to be adjusted longitudinally for increasing the length of the spout for the purpose of better adapting the machine to the various kinds and conditions of soil. The second defect which has been experienced in the use of the aforesaid patented machine is the want of a rigid connection of the lower ends of the vertical ways between which the sliding gate and ditching mechanism are arranged. In cutting at a considerable depth the gate descends and is held between the. lower portions of the vertical ways, whose rigidity is not sufficient to resist efiectually the strains and shocks to which it is 'subjected from the working parts of the machine. 'lhese ways are consequently spread apart and twisted out of their true position at their lower ends, whereby the sliding gate becomes loose therein, and the working of the machine is greatly impaired. To overcome this difficulty is the object of another part of my invention, which further consists, of the vertical ways of said ditching-machine, when constructed each with a longitudinal rib, in combination with the sliding gate provided with lips or projections which fit on and overlap said ribs, so as to prevent the ways spreading at their lower ends when the gate and ditching-mechanism desccnd.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure I is a side elevation; and Fig. II a front elevation of a ditching-machine provided with my improvements. Fig. III is a detached elevation of the spout, and Fig. IV a plan view thereof; Fig. V, an elevation of the discharge-spout. Fig. VI is a fragmentary sectional view, showing the hinge thereof., Fig. VII is a detached elevation of the vertical ways and gate 5 and Fig. VIII is a section on line .fr a', Fig. VII.

Like letters designate like parts in each of the figures.

A is the platform of the machine, and aa the wheels supporting the same. B are the upright ways or standards, secured to the platform and connected at the top by a cross piece, b. C is the gate or cross-head sliding between the ways B, and carrying the frame D, in which is mounted the elevating-wheel E. F is the plow, arranged with the latter; G, the chute, and H the fixed portion of the spout provided with tingers h. All of these parts are old and well known. H is the adjustable mouth-piece ofthe spout, corresponding in shape with the stationary portion in which it iits, so as to form acontinuation of the same and be capable of longitudinal adjustment for increasing the length of the spout when required. 1t is secured partially within the spout H by means of two screw-bolts, h1, one on each side. These bolts are inserted from the inside, the heads being countersunk or riveted in the portion H, so as to be held in place therein, while the bolts pass outward through slots h2 in the stationary spout, and are provided with thumb-nuts h3, as shown most clearly in Figs.

V and Vl. lt4 is a svt-svrvw` whit-h through thv spoilt ll. by whivh thv ontvrvnd ot' thv pivvv ll may bv raisvd so as to ;ivv it lvss invlination than thv ti\vd portion ot' thv spoilt. In vonnnvnvinlgV a ditvh thv hing'vd portion ll la \'s snugly on thv ti\v|l spout. t'ornlinj;l a vontinuation ot thv salnv. as shown in thv drawing. As thv ditvh invrvasvs in dvpth thv outvr vnd ot' thv portion lll is graduall) raisvtl by lnvans ot' thv svtrsvrvw Il. or an vtluivalvnt dv\*itv,\\'hvrvl\ \'tllvvxvatatvdvarthistlisvhalgvd at a point turthvr rvn1o\ t d troni thvditvh at vavh subsvtpivnt opvration. as vlvarl)v shown in l"ij.;. ll. 'l'hv rolling' bavh ot' part otl thv vxvavatvd varth into thv ditvh is in this inannvrvtlvvtually prv\vntvd. ln a wvt vla) soil thv vai'th is not tlisvhargvd as t'rvvl I'rotn thv spout, owing'to its stil-h)v vharavtvl'. and pilvs up in a hig'hvr ridgv ptlssvs than \\'hvn thv varth is dr)- or ot' a sandy or` loosvr natrlrv. ln sut-h vasv an vxtvnsion ot thv spoilt hvronivs tlvsirablv` whivh is vt'tvvtvd by loosvning'thv tlunnlmiuts and sliding thv por tion H lvngthwisv` whivh thv slots lv pvrn1it.as

shown in Fig. Y, whvn thv nuts arv tightvnvd and the mouth-pivvv adjustvd, as to its invlinainsuring` thv propvr disvhargv ot thv varth nn der all cirvuuistanvvs. lu Figs. \vll and YIII, fare the longitudinal ribs fornivd on thv upright ways or standards B; and l; the projet-tions or lips arrang'vd on thv gate C, so as to tit on and ovvi-lap thv ribs \\'hvn thv gatv, in moving' bvtwvvn thv ways l, assunivsa position bvtwvvn thv lowvr disvonnvvtvd portions ot' thv lattvr, thv lips vngaging' with th@ ribs y1', rvcvivv all strains troin thv working' parts ot' thv niavhinv, tvnding: to sprvad thv standards and prvvvut dislovation ot' thv lattvr.

l. An adjustablv mouth-pivvv, voinbinvd with hv tixvd disvharg'vslmut ot' a ditvlting-ulavhine in suvh a ntannvr as to allow thv invlination of thv inouth-pivvv to bv vhangvd as thv litt-hing` p1-o;;'rvssvs. substantially as and t'or thv purpose svt t'olth.

2. 'lhv vonibination of thv lnouth-pivvv lland spoilt Il ot' a ditvhing-lnachinv with thvbolts and slots lll lv', or vquivalvnt dvvicv, by whivh the t'orinvr is svvurvd to the spout and rvndvrvd loug'itudinally adjustable, substantially as hvrvinbvt'orv svt t'orth.

JS. 'l'hv vvrtival ways B ofaditching-machine, providvd with ribs 1`,in colnl'iination with the sliding' ,Q'atv providvd with lips or projvvtions,

` lc, substantially as and for the purpose hvrvintion, by thv svrvw h4, as just dvsvribvd, thus bvt'orv svt torth.

JOHN VALENTINE. 'itnvssvs:

EDWARD WILHELM, JOHN J. BONNER. 

